Make plans for ballroom dance event

Published: Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2012 1:12 p.m. CST

DeKALB – Just Make It Happen will host November Splendor, a preholiday town and gown dance party, Nov. 10 and 11 at the Duke Ellington Ballroom, inside the Holmes Student Center, at the corner of Lucinda Avenue and Normal Road in DeKalb.

The two-dance event features classic and lively big band music and a seasonal menu. Dancers can buy tickets to one or both dances. Kishwaukee Community Hospital will make $10 scholarships to the event available for DeKalb County residents.

Discount registration is available until Oct. 22. Tickets at the door are $30 per person to dance or $5 to sit in the balcony and listen. Ticket sales open 30 minutes prior to the dance.

Just Make It Happen also has an easy “dance for success” lesson program available at a cost.

The event is inspired by Duke Ellington’s musical and personal legacy, according to Just Make It Happen director John Smith. Ellington believed dancing could transcend social class, resulting in better working relations and adding positive new dimensions to a person’s life.

Today, there is a lot of focus on hot “Dancing With the Stars” routines, Smith said. But the real renaissance is the surge in interest in ballroom dance lessons. Dancing is a great activity for a healthy lifestyle, and Smith notes that dancers at the November event can have fun at their own pace.